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Questions about composting, fertilizer, and Carbon:Nitrogen ratios...?
This fall I plan on building two or three compost heaps, using mostly leaves and straw. The heap I just finished ran me out of manure, and I'll probably only be able to throw on two five-gallon buckets of vegetable waste, tops, by the time I'm ready to start building these two new compost heaps, so I'll have to use fertilizer instead.
1. If I use half straw and half fallen leaves, what kind of fertilizer (and how much) should I use to bring my Carbon:Nitrogen ratio to about 30:1? If it makes any difference, the leaves will mostly be hickory, oak, and elm, with a few pear leaves.
2. There will be a limited amount of fruit and vegetable waste in these heaps, but like I said, they will be almost entirely built from straw and fallen leaves (with fertilizer and soild between the layers, of course). I'd really like to have these new compost heaps ready for use next spring, as I intend to start some raised beds. Is this mix diverse enough to support sufficient microbial activity for such rapid decomposition? The only other materials I can think of that I might be able to get in abundance would be shredded paper, wood chips, and hair (I happen to be well acquainted with the local barber --- he bought his shop from my great grandfather many years ago, actually).
I realize these aren't the simplest questions in the world, so thanks a million for your thoughtful answers, and have a great weekend.
3 Answers
- Anonymous10 years agoFavorite Answer
Do you have a lawn needs trimming? Adding about a third of grass clippings would diversify your leaf and straw cocktail and land it at around 30:1. I don't know that adding fertilizer to the compost is an effective way to change C:N ratio since the nitrogen in fertilizer is readily available to plants whereas in compost the nitrogen must first be broken down by microbes releasing only about half of the nitrogen in the compost the first year with more nitrogen still locked in the microbes bodies. Testing the soil after turning in the compost may be more effective in determining nutrient needs.
The ratio of those hardwoods doesn't make a difference. Weeds, hay, alfalfa and seaweed would however lower the ratio and pine needles would raise it. Shredded paper (400:1) and wood chips (175:1) would both raise your ratio so avoid them if leaf litter is used. HAIR on the other hand is nitrogenous and will lower it. If you live near the coast now's (late Summer) a great time to collect seaweed for the compost. Seaweed has a super low ratio at 19:1, almost as low as manure.
good luck!
- ?Lv 710 years ago
Visit your local grocery and ask when they throw out any vegetables and fruit that has gone bad. Talk to the produce manager. You might be able to get some extra green stuff for your compost. A restaurant might help too. They are not going to hold it though so make sure you collect it when they say.
Oak leaves are tough and acidic and hard to break down.
